estate

American  

[ih-stayt] / ɪˈsteɪt /

noun

• estates
  plural

1. a piece of landed property, especially one of large extent with an elaborate house on it.

   to have an estate in the country.

2. Law.

   1. property or possessions.

   2. the legal position or status of an owner, considered with respect to property owned in land or other things.

   3. the degree or quantity of interest that a person has in land with respect to the nature of the right, its duration, or its relation to the rights of others.

   4. interest, ownership, or property in land or other things.

   5. the property of a deceased person, a bankrupt, etc., viewed as an aggregate.

3. British. a housing development.

4. a period or condition of life.

   to attain to man's estate.

5. a major political or social group or class, especially one once having specific political powers, as the clergy, nobles, and commons in France or the lords spiritual, lords temporal, and commons in England.

6. condition or circumstances with reference to worldly prosperity, estimation, etc.; social status or rank.

7. Obsolete. pomp or state.

8. Obsolete. high social status or rank.

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verb (used with object)

estated, estating

1. Obsolete. to establish in or as in an estate.

estate British  

/ ɪˈsteɪt /

noun

1. a large piece of landed property, esp in the country

2. a large area of property development, esp of new houses or ( trading estate ) of factories

3. property law

   1. property or possessions

   2. the nature of interest that a person has in land or other property, esp in relation to the right of others

   3. the total extent of the real and personal property of a deceased person or bankrupt

4. Also called: estate of the realm. an order or class of persons in a political community, regarded collectively as a part of the body politic: usually regarded as being the lords temporal (peers), lords spiritual, and commons See also States General fourth estate

5. state, period, or position in life, esp with regard to wealth or social standing

   youth's estate

   a poor man's estate

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Synonym Usage

See property.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• estates
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of estate

1175–1225; Middle English estat < Middle French; cognate with Provençal estat. See state

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Explanation

The word estate is mostly used to mean a massive and fabulous house on a big piece of land. When you own an estate, it usually means you have a whole lot of money to go along with it. While an estate refers mostly to land and a house on it, it can also refer to all of a person’s possessions — and this sense of the word is often used after someone has died to refer to everything they are leaving behind. “You are set to inherit half of your grandfather’s estate, which includes his entire collection of stuffed raccoons.” In the past (and sometimes still) estate was also used to refer to someone’s state or condition, as well as his or her social standing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

estate estates estated

To give the interiors a soulful look, Donnelly mixes new furnishings with vintage estate sale finds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

She recommends their salary remain a marital asset to show that the marital estate is receiving a benefit from their employment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

In addition, Clarkson bought a couple more homes and land down the street, in order to create a sprawling estate on 60-plus acres.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

Rob said he needed the money to cover the estate costs he had to pay for his brother and fill a £20,000 hole in his savings.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

She tried to imagine a bird’s-eye view of the estate.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

For families with complex estates, consolidating accounts and assets under one trustee can help everything run more smoothly.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Liverpool-born McGovern focused on adult prison estates in the first two series of BBC hit Time.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Known to local real-estate agents as Billionaires’ Bluff, the enclave is known for its blufftop estates, as well as beach houses, like McEnroe’s, on the sand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Under the current rules, estates worth more than £325,000, or £500,000 if a home is left to children or grandchildren, can face a 40% tax rate on assets above the threshold.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

This was a drive with estates on either side.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

It was all the difference between rank and obscurity—between wealth and want—between the condition of an estated gentleman and the assumption of a mere pretender.

From Roland Cashel Volume II (of II) by Charles James Lever

"It is upon estated property I intend to raise this loan, sir," said his Lordship, angrily.

From Davenport Dunn, Volume 1 (of 2) A Man Of Our Day by Charles James Lever

"Likening theyselves to the quality, as though they was estated folk, or the like o' that!" said Mrs. Guffern.

From Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

But Thaddeus, otherwise Thady Macdermot, being an estated gentleman, must have a gentleman's residence on his estate, and the house of Ballycloran was accordingly built.

From The Macdermots of Ballycloran by Anthony Trollope

You ain't above taking all our money and seeing us starve; and that when you have got everything round you here like an estated gentleman, as you are?'

From John Caldigate by Anthony Trollope

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Related Words

• area
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